10 Things Manipal Taught Me About Real Life…

They say Manipal days are the best days of your life. Well, I have to agree. Isn’t it why I continue to stay in Manipal even though I’ve long finished the course I joined this place for? Then there is the small matter of having got a job in this educational township that is truly satisfying. But that is not what this article is about. This is about the lessons on life I learnt as a student here. So here goes my post on 10 things Manipal taught me about real life situations:

Be on time: Yep. I learnt it here. Dad always was insisting on discipline as an important aspect of my upbringing, but it was Manipal that drilled it into my psyche. I mean, if you’re late and lose attendance, and this happens quite regularly with the warm/humid/rainy weather outside, you’re sure to not make it to the minimum of 80% your college requires right? Forget about sneaking in – you can’t jump in through windows here for obvious reasons.

Your colleague has a better love life than you. Hell, your professor will have a better love life than your colleague 😉

You understand the true value of a Rs. 100 note. There is a definition for the term “Poor” we came up with in the Manipal Definitions series on our Facebook page that goes like this: “When you have too much month at the end of your money.”

Don’t judge a person by his smile. This applies mainly to your teachers. They may have the sweetest smile during your oral examination, but it is no guarantee that they are giving you marks for an answer. Same holds true after college life. Be aware that what you see is not always what you get!

You cannot please everyone all the time. People who work in different fields will never appreciate the importance of the work you’re doing and vice-versa. Try not to worry too much about what others think of the work you’re doing.

Appreciate the guy who is presenting. The first thing you learn when you give a presentation if front of your guffawing colleagues and the smirking teacher, is that presentation is hard! You’re like a deer trapped in front of an oncoming car.

No holidays. Yes. As a professional, day offs are few and far in between. Fact is, Manipal makes you perfectly ready for the work you’re gonna do in the future. Manipal is a place, not on planet Earth. the normal holiday rules do not apply here. Same goes with your job afterwards.

Contacts matter. Whether it be for a party you want to organise or a project you want to do, a few friends in the right places can do wonders for your career growth.

There is always one guy/girl to spoil all the fun. Where else will you learn the power of one? One person is enough to make a mass bunk go all wrong. And one person in your work place is enough to put your work down in front of all.

If you’re narrow-minded, you won’t get far. Always learn the local language, follow the local customs and try to imbibe the culture. It will go a long way in improving the way you see the world!